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Fiona Crean, the city’s ombudsman, released a report this week that said Jones and other senior executives at the housing agency flouted hiring rules, ignored conflicts of interest, gave managers sudden and unjustified raises, and fired people recklessly.

Speaking with reporters afterwards, Purves refused to answer when asked if Jones was nudged out of the position or would have been allowed to continue had he wanted to.

“After much deliberation, the board and Gene have mutually decided that a change in leadership will best position Toronto Community Housing to move forward in implementing its strategic plan,” Purves said.

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During Jones’ time, the massive repair backlog continued to grow, reaching an estimated $860 million and climbing. The waitlist for affordable housing units at TCHC hit an all-time high, at 91,413. While some tenants praised his hands-on attention to issues, some city councillors said his decision to limit contact with staff created bottlenecks that hampered relations.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said that since the ombudsman’s report was released, the concern has been for the residents currently living in TCHC housing. City manager Joe Pennachetti, who also spoke at the press conference, indicated that a new permanent CEO would probably not be appointed until after the October election. Kelly said the current council is tackling short-term goals.

Greg Spearn, a real estate executive, has been placed as interim CEO. Spearn previously held the role of vice-president and chief development officer and led TCHC’s response to the ice storm. He was hired in September 2012 and earned $189,322 in 2013, according to the Sunshine List.

Kelly said he admired Jones for his hands-on work ethic, but said the functioning of the organization was undermined by his “arbitrary” use of authority.

“The important thing right now is to stabilize the situation and to provide the leadership style that will protect the interests of the residents that are primary in all of these deliberations, and I think that perhaps that (long-term solutions) may be the goal of the next council,” Kelly said.

Goldvine said Spearn was also not speaking to the media Friday, though he could be seen participating in the ongoing board meeting.

“Was reorganization needed? Yes. Was new leadership needed? Yes. Was there any reason to not follow the rules? No,” said Kelly, who said he fully supported the board’s decision.

The board met behind closed doors Friday morning to discuss the report. Jones was not present at the meeting, according to TCHC spokeswoman Sarah Goldvine. Goldvine said Jones was not speaking with the media. The Star was unable to reach Jones.

The board held a public session around noon at which Purves addressed the situation. About 40 members of the public came, generally split between supporters and detractors of Jones.

Bonnie Booth, a TCHC resident, circulated a letter praising Jones, which read in part, “Mr. Jones is ‘a man of steel with a heart of gold’ and definitely the ONLY man for the job of President and CEO of Toronto Community Housing.”

Susan Gapka, another TCHC resident and outspoken advocate for tenants, expressed concern over the organization at TCHC and ultimately praised the board’s decision.

As Purves delivered the news of Jones’ ouster, chaos erupted in the room. Members of the public yelled — some in favour, some against. A few screamed “shame,” while Booth yelled “you’re Judas,” in reference to the biblical figure who betrayed Jesus Christ.

Suddenly, Mayor Rob Ford, who had made a brief appearance at the building earlier, worked his way through the crowd. He paused briefly and looked at the podium as Purves finished his statement. Ford then reversed direction and spoke with reporters in the hallway while two people yelled nearby, expressing their dissatisfaction with the decision on Jones.

“This is one of the worst days in Toronto’s history,” said Ford. “The ombudsman — she’s the one who should resign, she’s the one who’s political.”

“Things are going better than they ever have (at TCHC). It’s like taking a world championship team and saying, you know, get rid of the whole team because one fan said you have a bad team. And unfortunately that fan is Fiona Crean,” said Ford.

While addressing the board, Crean denied any bias in her investigation.

“My investigation was not about the CEO. My investigation was about the human resources practices and how they were being adhered to. It was not about the CEO,” said Crean, addressing the board of directors Friday.

Councillors Maria Augimeri and Ana Bailao, both of whom sit on the TCHC board, refused to disclose details about the secret vote but discussed the decision.

“It’s a difficult decision, but we need to have the organization moving forward, and we thought it was the best decision to have the organization moving forward,” Augimeri said.

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